Sponge cup



F.- s. WEAVER SPONGE cuP Filed Dec. 1. 1922 Wr-m Ess Patented J une 2, 1925 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. WEAVER, OF BELLEVUE BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA; SOPHIA C. WEAVER AND FIDELITY TITLE AND TRUST. COMPANY ADMINISTRATORS OF THE SAID FRANK S. WEAVER, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DEFI- ANOE SALES CORPORATION.

SPONGE cor.

Application filed December 1, 1922. SerialNo. 604,298]

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK S. l/VEAVER, a citizen of the United States, and residing in the borough of Bellevue, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered the new, useful, and Improved Sponge Cup, of which the following is a specification.

MIy .invention consists in a new and i1n-- proved cup or container for desk sponges, such as are used in business oflices, banks, etc.

The object which I have in view is the provision of a cup or container for such purposes, which will maintain the sponge in a properly moist condition without permitting it to become soggy, ill-smelling or moldy, which will prevent the water from overflowing from the cup onto the desk, counter or papers, when the sponge is pressed with the fingers, and which will contain a larger volume of water proportionate to the mass of the sponge, than the cups now in use.

For this purpose I provide a cup, preferably of glass or some other material which may be cheaply formed to shape, having the inner surface of its circumferential wall vertically fluted, as by the provision of alternate ribs and troughs or depressions.

I also provide the interior bottom of the cup with means, such as horizontally disposed ribs, for instance the cruciform rib shown, to elevate the sponge above the bottom proper.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a sponge container embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a diametric section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings.

A represents the container which may be cheaply pressed or molded of glass or any other suitable material.

The circumferential wall 1 of the container has its inner surface vertically fluted, as by the provision of the vertically disposed ribs 2. spaced apart to form the vertically disposed troughs or channels 3 open to the interior of the cup, said ribs and channels extending to the bottom 4 of the container. The upper extremities of the ribs 2 are bevelled outwardly to produce a rounded edge, as shown at 5.

The bottom or floor 4 of the container is provided with means for holding the sponge up out of contact with the floor 4. This is preferably accomplished by forming integral ribs, horizontally disposed onithe floor. Thus I show the cruciform rib 6.

\Vhen the sponge is placed in the container, it is held in place by the vertical ribs 2, leaving the channels 3 open, and the sponge is supported by the rib 6 above the floor of the container.

It is quite evidentthat space is thus provided for a much greater quantity of water than is possible in a container having a coming too dry, and which will furnish a supply of water which will be taken up by the sponge when it is pressed down'when be ing used for moistening purposes. If the sponge were permitted to sitflat on the bo tom, this portion of the water would enter the substance of the sponge, and soonrender it soggy, and soon cause it to become moldy or ill-smelling.

The vertical channels in the wall. of the container furnishes proper ventilation for the sponge, so that an unsanitary condition cannot occur. 1

W hen the container is well supplied with water, and the sponge is compressed downward with considerable pressure, there will be no overflowing of the water from the container because the water escaping from the top of the sponge, instead of flowing over the sides'of the container, will flow down the channels 3 inside the container to the bottom of the latter to replenish the moisture of the sponge when it is released from pressure.

It is therefore not necessary to usecare whenthe:sponge is compressed or PTBSS6Cl down upon, since what would be disastrous carelessness in the case of the form of container now iirgeneraluse, in the case-of -my' in proved container results in newer- *flowing of water "from thecontainer.

hat I desire to claim is 1. A container for a desk sponge of cup like form having its floor provided with ribs to elevate the s pongei-out of contact with the floor of the container.

2. A container for a desk sponge of cup like form having its floor provided with horizontally 'disposed ribs to elevate the sponge out'of contact with the fioo-r 'ofthe container.

A container for a desk sponge of-rcupvlike form having the inner surfaeeof its circumferential wall provided with verti- .cally-disposed flutingsextending from top to-bottom and havingits floor provided with tact with said bottom.

5. Aecontainerflfor a desk sponge of cup like form having the inner surface 01 its circumferential wall provided with vertireally disposedribs extending from top to =bottom, 'said ribs'being spacedapartto form interposed channels,-and having its-bottom provided wit-lrribsto elevate-the sponge out of contact with said bottom.

:Signed at Pittsburgh, :Pa., this28tlr day of 40 November, .1922.

, FRANK SJ lVE-ALVER. 

